Family
by PetuniaViolet2
Summary: Mikan is a single mother, Natsume is a divorced father. Kenshin is a boy without a father and Isamu is a child that never felt a mother's love. Both children find each other. What will happen? Was destiny being gentle with these broken families? Or was destiny playing cruel tricks and making it worse? [RW] [AU]
1. The New Student

**I can't remember the e-mail from my first PetuniaViolet account so I decided to use an old one. I'm officially re-writing this story! I also posted it on AO3 under 'PetuniaViolet'! Hope you enjoy this version!**

* * *

 **November 8** **th** **, 2014**

 **4:00PM**

If Mikan Yukihira ever regretted being too scared to get her driving license, that would be now. How many times had she been late to pick up her son from school? At least two times a week, thanks to the wonderful buses and their punctual schedule. The bus had been ten minutes late, and because of that it was affected by the rush hour, which delayed Mikan for at least fifteen minutes. Her son finished school thirty minutes ago.

It was moments like these were she sourly remembered her ex-boyfriend, who got her pregnant at the age of eighteen and then left her to pursue his musical career. She didn't blame him, but at the same time, Mikan thought he was the most self-centric, arrogant, bastard she has ever regretted to meet. Now at the age of twenty-six years old – Mikan knew better.

She couldn't be happier with only her son, Kenshin, and their adorable but lazy, chubby cat named Keno.

After thanking the bus driving for dropping her off, Alice Elementary School had a bus stop right in front of their gates and Mikan appreciated that. She hurried as she crossed the road, after looking both ways of course, and walked into the school grounds after greeting the gatekeeper and receiving a knowing looking from her – she was known around the school to be the 'always late mother'.

As the brunette stepped inside the main building, her amber eyes quickly looked around the empty hall – she cringing as she realized that all students were gone already and then Mikan's heart broke when she spotted her son alone, sitting on a bench while swinging his legs up and down to entertain himself.

The seven-year-old boy, with short but messy hair the same color as his mother, raised his head as he noticed a figure approaching him and Kenshin's amethyst eyes lit up almost immediately with happiness when he realized that his mom was finally here. He grinned and quickly hopped off the bench and hugged her.

"Mommy, you're late!" he cried as he pressed his face on her stomach.

"Shin-kun, I am so sorry! The bus got stuck in traffic!" Mikan quickly said as she pulled him closer. She bent down and started pressing kisses all over his small face, making him giggle.

"Ah, Mikan-chan! I'm glad you're finally here. I was starting to think I'd have to raise Ken-chi all by myself." A blonde, handsome man teased as he approached them.

Narumi Anjou was Kenshin's homeroom teacher, and coincidentally he was also a close family friend. He watched over Kenshin and sometimes babysat him whenever Mikan couldn't make it in time to fetch her son from school, "I also gave Ken-chi a sandwich and a chocolate milk while he waited." Narumi said as he watched Kenshin go back to the bench to pick up his schoolbag with a smile.

Mikan scoffed, delighted, "I don't know how to thank you…"

"You just did." He winked.

Mikan was about to respond when she felt a strong grip on her hand, she looked down to see Kenshin looking up at her rather impatiently.

"Let's go, mommy! If we hurry back now, I can still watch Avenger X-neration!" he stated quickly, already pulling her to the school's doors.

Mikan wasn't budging though, she gave her son a look, "Say goodbye to your teacher first, sweetie. And did you thank him for the food?" she asked with a mildly stern tone.

Kenshin looked at his teacher and smiled sheepishly, "Bye-bye Naru-sensei, and thanks for the meal!" he looked at her again, "Now, can we go?" he looked at her with a look at Mikan described as 'puppy eyes'.

"Kenshin…" she scowled at him, embarrassed at his behaviour as her cheeks gained color.

Narumi chuckled. "It's alright Mikan, see you tomorrow Ken-chi! Don't forget to do your homework." The blonde advised while waving as the two made their way to the door.

"Oh, he won't." Mikan smiled and waved back.

* * *

Mikan and Kenshin walked together, holding each other hands, on the busy, city streets. From Alice Elementary School to their apartment it was only a ten-minute walk and it has been resumed to Kenshin promptly talking about his day at school. Mikan could only nod and encourage her son to tell her everything without holding back, she loved hearing his excited voice about every single detail – even seeing a spider in his classroom was a good day for him.

"So you're telling me that your classmate almost threw away an apple just because it had a dark spot in it?" Mikan asked as she faked a dramatic gasp.

"I know right?! He was going to, but I stopped him just in time! I told him what you told me mommy, just throw away the piece with the dark spot! And guess that?" The brunette looked up at his mom expectantly.

"What?"

"He listened to me! And then he ate the rest of the apple." Kenshin proudly stated.

Mikan felt pride for her son.

"OH! I ALMOST FORGOT TO TELL YOU!" Kenshin suddenly shouted, startling Mikan and some bystanders in the process.

"Y-Yes?" Mikan asked, smiling nervously.

"Serina-sensei told us at the end of the class that tomorrow, we're having a new student!" he announced excitedly.

Mikan's eyebrows rose from surprise, they stopped walking when they reached their apartment's doors. She let go of her son's hand to search for the keys in her purse, "A new student? You're going to be nice to her, right?" she conversed while she opened the door.

Kenshin walked inside the building and giggled, "Don't be silly mommy, Serina-sensei said that it was a boy! Like me!" he explained with a grin.

"Still, sweetie, you must be nice to him. Remember how scary it was when you were the new student?" Mikan inquired as she checked her mail-box.

"I do…" he mumbled as he waited for her by the elevators door, "I'll be nice if he's nice!" he decided as he pressed the button to call for the elevator.

* * *

After dinner, and after making sure Kenshin ate his vegetables, Mikan hummed as she washed the dishes while her son did his homework in his bedroom. After she was done with them, she washed her hands and checked on him to see if he needed help.

Kenshin was sitting on his bed, with Keno sleeping on his lap, with his eyes glued on his small TV.

"Have you finished your homework, sweetie?" Mikan asked, already knowing the answer.

He simply nodded, paying more attention to the cartoons.

"It's almost bedtime so don't forget to—"

"Brush my teeth and wash my face, I know mommy!" He rushed for her, giving a knowing grin without looking away from the screen.

She frowned, whenever Kenshin watched that little show of his he'd be always more concentrated on it than everything else, to be honest Mikan always felt a little jealous but she knew it was silly, it was only a cartoon that her son dearly liked. When she was young, she was the same.

The brunette left his bedroom and walked into the living room, she sat down on the couch and sighed tiredly, but happily. Another day of work, she could finally relax, watch her shows as well and just have some time for herself… for a couple of hours.

Thirty minutes later, she heard her son calling her to tuck him in. Lost were the days where he'd ask for a bedtime story, instead he'd read comic books by himself. Mikan went to his room, checked if he brushed his teeth and tucked him in as he expected, then after kissing his forehead she called for Keno to follow her. And the chubby cat didn't move.

It seems like he was sleeping with Kenshin again.

She bid Kenshin a goodnight and returned to the living room, watching TV as quietly as she could.

An hour passed, and she was starting to feel sleepy. So Mikan got up from the couch and turned off the TV, and after stretching her body she checked on her son again and smiled at the sight of Kenshin sleeping soundly as Keno slept by the end of his bed.

She smiled and couldn't fight the urge to tuck in her son even more, after kissing his head she heard him whimper, making her giggle.

"Goodnight Kenshin, I love you." She whispered softly to the sleeping child. Keno meowed quietly at her, and she gave him an affectionate look, "I love you too, Keno." She said, and immediately the white, chubby cat started purring before going back to sleep.

After leaving and gently closing the door, Mikan yawned tiredly as she made her way to her bedroom down the hall. She stripped off her clothes and placed them in the laundry basket and dressed up her pajamas, then Mikan hopped into her bed, giggling like a child, and got under the covers before she could feel the cold, winter air.

The young adult stared at her ceiling and thought about her day and it didn't take much time for her to fall asleep.

* * *

 **November 9** **th**

 **8:10AM**

 **Kenshin's POV**

"Have a nice day at school Shin-kun, I love you." Kenshin heard his mom whisper sweetly as they hugged goodbye.

He smiled, "I love you too, mommy!"

When Mikan was gone, Kenshin made his way inside his school's building in search of his closest friend, Ran Sakura. She was the smartest girl he ever met. She was the best reader of their class and she also had the best hand-writing. Ran would always tell him smart facts, teach him the difficult words and she was always there to give him good advices! Plus, she was a good story-teller, Kenshin was too afraid to tell his mom that she wasn't good at it. He didn't want to hurt her feelings.

And then he found her, sitting on the usual bench with a book big enough to cover her head with her purple, schoolbag resting against her legs. Kenshin grinned slyly and then sat down next to her too suddenly, making her jump on her seat and almost drop her book.

"Kenshin-kun! I told t-that you can't do that! The bench might fall on day…" she scowled him lightly, making him chuckle.

Ran had shoulder-length, slightly wavy brown hair and two, curious amber eyes. Kenshin saw her his first day of first grade and he got fascinated by her intelligence, but was too shy to approach her. Then saw that Ran didn't have friends around her, she probably felt lonely, so he asked his mom what to do and Mikan told him to introduce himself to her, and to be friendly when he did it – since then the two have become inseparable.

Kenshin liked her because she was also sweet and kind, she was like his mother but without the 'scary' part.

"Ran-chan, are you excited to see the new student?" he chirped curiously.

She hummed thoughtfully as she put her book away, "I don't know… how about you?" she smiled.

"I am! My mom told me to be nice, I hope we can become friends! And, maybe he can also be your friend too!" he told her, ruffling her hair and ignoring her weak complaining.

After giving him a stinky look, she looked at her own feet with a distant look, "Yeah… me too." She said uninterestedly, thinking about how much reading all the books from the library sounded more appealing.

He tilted his head at her, confused at her behavior, but simply shrugged and began asking her random questions that Ran patiently, and gladly, responded to.

* * *

 **8:35AM**

Homeroom for 1-A class had begun, the students were chatting nonstop on their seats, and when Narumi walked inside with a bright smile, Ran stood from her chair and turned to the whole classroom.

"Please be q-quiet, the teacher has arrived." She nervously told the class before quickly sitting down before she could notice some of the glares her classmates sent her way.

Kenshin glared back at those, quietly telling them to back off with only a look.

"Thank you Ran-chan! Children, as you all know, today we have a new student! So, let's give him a warm welcome, shall we? Come inside now!" Narumi looked towards the door and a boy, slightly taller than Kenshin, walked inside. Whispering commenced throughout the whole classroom.

"Introduce yourself, please." The blonde teacher said brightly as the boy stood in front of the blackboard.

Kenshin stared at him, he had short, raven hair and two sharp, crimson eyes. The brunette could clearly see how much uncomfortable the boy was with all the staring.

"My name is Isamu Hyuuga," he spoke lowly. More whispering came along, and some hands raised up quickly.

"Yes, Nana-chan?" Narumi asked as he eyed a blonde girl with curly pigtails.

"How old are you?" she asked with a sneer.

He glared at her, "I'm eight."

Much to Kenshin's annoyance, his classmates started whispering again, Ran could only sigh and Isamu looked like he just wanted to leave.

"Where do you live?" a boy with shaved hair asked.

"In my house." The raven haired deadpanned.

Some students chuckled, finding his answer funny, but Isamu wasn't joking, at all.

"All right kiddos, since you have so many questions for our new cutie student," Isamu gave Narumi a dirty look, "I'll give you all a free period to get to meet him, toddles!" the handsome teacher said as he rushed out of the classroom.

Kenshin rolled his eyes, typical.

But Isamu stared at the door dumbfounded when Narumi-sensei _actually_ left, he turned to his new classmates and sighed at their hungry eyes,

That blonde bastard didn't even tell him where to sit.


	2. Isamu Joins The Team

**sweet little: Of course, I remember you! You were with me on the first story since chapter one! I hope you're liking this version of the story! I'm having fun! Good to see you again!**

* * *

 **November 9** **th** **, 2014**

 **12:30PM**

"Oi, Hyuuga."

Isamu was busy munching on his delicious lunch prepared by his aunt Aoi when he heard an annoying voice trying to get his attention. He looked up from his bento box and his crimson eyes met dull, brown ones.

"What?" Isamu prompted, slightly annoyed and confused. But then he recognized the boy, wasn't he the one from his class? That asked where he lived?

Isamu then noticed two other boys, one was too large on the waist for his own age and the other was taller than anyone at this school, he raised his short eyebrows, intrigued.

"You have to leave this table, new kid, this is where my friends and I sit. Beat it, or else." The boy, seemingly the leader of the group, threatened with a cocky grin.

Isamu looked straight ahead with a tired expression and sighed, frustrated, "There's more tables here, you can sit anywhere else." He calmly told him, trying to be as nice as possible.

But the boy visibly became angry, "This is my table, get out!" he raised his voice as his arm reached for him, then he grabbed Isamu's shirt by the collar and pulled him up, they were now face-to-face.

The boy glared at the new student, trying to look superior but Isamu merely stared at him, blankly. The other students around them seemed to be finally noticing the commotion.

"I'm not leaving this table." Isamu deadpanned, not bothered at all with all the attention he was receiving.

The boy's eye twisted at his answer, and even more angrily, he raised his fist in the air, ready to strike. That got everyone in the cafeteria to start shouting 'FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!' Even the friends of this short-tempered boy looked excited.

' _Oh, give me a break'_ , Isamu thought. If he got in trouble on his first day, _again_ , his father would be very disappointed in him.

"Let him go, Arata!" some kid shouted between the crowd of children surrounding the two.

Isamu and Arata looked at where it came from, both looking surprised.

But the bully recovered quickly when he realized who he was, he rolled his brown eyes, annoyed, "Go away Yukihira, or you're next."

Kenshin approached them even more, silencing everyone who wanted a good fight scene, "I said, leave him alone!" the brunette shouted again, not looking scared at all by the threat.

Arata smirked and complied, letting go of Isamu's now wrinkled shirt. The raven-haired boy stared at Kenshin expressionlessly, trying to figure him out. He recognized the brunette, he was one of the kids that didn't ask him any questions.

Kenshin was eating his lunch with Ran when noticed that the new kid was having trouble with the school's bully, and he couldn't let Isamu have a terrible first day. So, he decided to step in.

"Kenshin stop! Arata, you too!"

Isamu looked at the girl who came right behind Kenshin, standing next to him with a nervous expression. He recognized her too, she was seemed interested in a book about mythical sea creatures while his classmates bombarded Isamu with questions when Narumi left.

"Oh, shut up Sakura! Go read a book or something!" Arata growled at her, walking fast and brutally pushing her away from the chaos, making her whimper when she fell on the floor.

Some students gasped in horror, others snickered.

Isamu cringed at her, feeling bad. He was starting to feel like he should do something now, but before he could even open his mouth to dissipate the situation, he saw Kenshin's blurry figure colliding with Arata, he only had time to dodge the two boys as they started fighting each other, throwing sloppy punches here and there.

Isamu was shocked, it happened so fast. All he could do was watch, dumbfounded.

Well, damn.

Cheering and cries when a fight finally started occurred and Ran immediately shook off her pain from being pushed and quickly ran out of the cafeteria to find a teacher, quickly.

She was lucky to find Narumi already on his way there, apparently a janitor had warned him of the possible fight and the blonde wanted to get there before violence started – he was too late. Calming down a crying Ran, he held her hand and the two made their way to the cafeteria.

Narumi was quick to separate the two angry boys from each other, and the other children quickly scattered not wanting to be in trouble. Isamu however, stayed still.

"Children calm down!" the teacher exclaimed, trying to get hold of them as they struggled.

"Let me go!" Arata's face was covered with bruises, his lower lip was busted but there was no sign of blood in it. He growled and tried to swing at Kenshin again, but Narumi was faster to stop him.

Kenshin's hair was messy, messier than usual, and his cheek had a small scratch. Apart from that, the amethyst eyed boy merely glared furiously at the bully.

When the two were calmer and seemed like the finally stopped trying to attack each other, Narumi sighed deeply as he stared disappointedly at them.

"Now, who started?" Narumi asked sternly.

"HE DID IT!" Arata immediately accused, pointing at Isamu who as just been watching.

The accused boy just raised an eyebrow, unaffected.

Narumi looked at the new student and then confusedly at Arata, "But then, why were you fighting Kenshin?"

"He was being a big, ugly bully!" Kenshin quickly explained.

"Liar!" Arata yelled.

"Alright!" Narumi raised his voice, "Can anyone here tell me what truly happened?" he looked around the cafeteria, and the students that once had been surrounding the fight didn't even look at him in the eye.

Narumi sighed at the silence.

"I c-can…"

Narumi instantly smiled warmly at Ran, he could always count on the class's president, "Okay," he then turned at the three boys, "Arata, Kenshin and Isamu, follow me. You too Ran-chan." The teacher had to drag the two complaining boys.

Ran and Isamu stared at each other, and the girl sighed at him before following her teacher. Isamu walked behind her, still too shaken by what just happened. He looked behind at the table where he had been eating, where his precious lunch was being forgotten.

"All that for a stupid sitting spot," he mumbled under his breath, finishing with a 'tsk' sound.

As they walked on the hall, Ran heard him and smiled sadly at him. "I know it's witless but Arata has always been like this."

"Uh?" he looked at her, "What does witless mean?"

Her amber eyes stared at her feet, "S-Sorry, it means that it's stupid." she explained quickly.

"How do you know that word?" he asked, intrigued.

Ran scowled, "I read a l-lot of books. Didn't you hear Arata?"

Isamu did recall the stupid threat, "That's cool, do you know more things?" he offered a small smile at her.

She looked at him with a surprised expression, then she smiled back. And when she was about to respond Narumi opened the door to the principal's office.

"Go inside please, the principal wants to see you all." Narumi told the quartet with a sad frown, "I am very disappointed in you two," he said as Arata and Kenshin passed by him. At least the brunette had the decency to look ashamed, but Arata just rolled his eyes.

The four students walked inside and sat on the vacant seats in front of the principal's desk.

The man had jet-black hair and sharp, intimidating eyes. But what the children found most unsettling was his smile – it was meant to be friendly, but it came off creepy.

"Well? Who started the fight?" he asked coolly.

"HE DID! HE PUSHED RAN-CHAN AND BULLIED HYUUGA-"  
"YUKIHIRA ATTACKED ME OUT OF NOWHERE!"

" _Silence._ "

Arata and Kenshin cringed at the order. Ran stared at her own knees, mentally facepalming at her friend's behavior in front of the principal nonetheless. Isamu merely sat quietly, staring at the principal, and he decided that he didn't like him that much.

"Ah, new student. Isamu Hyuuga, correct? Getting, or causing, a fight on your first day isn't exactly… appropriate." the man said with an amused smile.

Isamu glared at him, "I didn't cause anything."

Ran thought that would be the right time to act, she timidly raised her hand and caught the principal's attention.

"Kuonji-kocho, I—"

"Sakura-san, I'm surprised to see you here. You're one of the best students of this school."

"Sir, Arata was bullying Isamu-san. Kenshin was just defending him." She explained, ignoring the cold smile Kuonji gave her. She could feel Arata's hot glare on her, but she decided to ignore it as well.

"Tattletale…" the boy mumbled under his breath.

"Really now? Did something else happened too?"

"YES! Arata pushed Ran-chan to the floor and told her mean things!" Kenshin told him quickly.

Ran confirmed this with a nod, looking at her lap again this time.

"It's true." Isamu added, still feeling bad for the girl.

Arata groaned, "You're all gonna pay for this!"

"I'll take that threat as a confession, Yoshiko-san. How about… detention after school for two weeks?" Kuonji announced with a smile.

Arata's brown eyes widened, "But—"

"And I'll inform your parents about this," the principal added, cutting off the boy's upcoming complaint.

Before Kenshin could celebrate, the principal turned to him and smiled again, "And for you, Yukihira-san, three days of detention after school. And of course, I will certainly inform your mother as well." He drawled the word 'mother' as he grinned when he said it. It was if he was excited with the prosper of talking to her.

The brunette groaned, "Noo… she's gonna kill me…"

Isamu sighed, was this creep going to talk with his father as well? He didn't want to disappoint him.

After the meeting, and ignoring Arata's threats as he left them, Kenshin, Ran and Isamu were left alone, standing in the lobby as awkward silence filled the air around them. It was when Kenshin sighed angrily and loudly was when it was broken.

"Are you okay, Ran-chan?" he asked, changing his demeanor from upset to concerned at once.

She nodded and smiled at him, "I'm fine. Are you okay too? That was quite stupid of you, you know? You should never use violence as an answer Kenshin, even if Arata did." She scolded him with a tight smile, pulling on cheek a little bit.

He grinned as he tried to push her hand away, he was used to this and he loved it.

Isamu stared at them and wondered what kind of friendship they had.

"How about you, Isamu-san, are you alright?" Ran let go of Kenshin's cheek and gave him a worried look.

He was taken aback by her soulful, amber orbs. He nodded his head quickly and returned to having a stoic expression.

She looked relieved.

"Don't mind Arata, he's always been like that. He's just a big, ugly bully that doesn't let people alone. He likes to be mean and stupid! Right, Ran-chan?" Kenshin looked expectant at her, hoping for her support.

She nodded in agreement, "He is mean Kenshin, but we shouldn't talk about people behind their backs like that. Even if he _is_ the worst person in the world." Ran mumbled the last part, feeling slightly contradicting.

Again, Isamu watched the two as they talked, and then he realized that they had been the first two people to _actually_ treat him nicely since he's arrived. Heck, they even stood up for him.

He guessed he just made two friends.

"Hey, do you want to be my friends?" he bluntly asked the two.

Kenshin and Ran stopped bickering and stared at him with shock. Then, they felt as if sparkles had exploded around them as Isamu stared, feeling slightly timid now.

The brunette grinned widely, and Ran smiled shyly.

"Of course!"

"Yes!"

Isamu genuinely smiled at them, "Thanks for back then… by the way."

"No biggie! I just couldn't watch that monkey hurt someone innocent." Kenshin stated proudly, giving them a pose.

Ran couldn't help but to giggle, "You're acting like you're some kind of hero."

"That's… stupid." Isamu teased with a smirk.

"HEY! NO, IT'S NOT! Super-heroes are awesome!" Kenshin exclaimed in defense of himself, his cheeks were rosier as the two chuckled at him.

The school's bell suddenly rang, and the three headed inside their classroom together.

* * *

"Ran, do you like super-heroes?" Isamu suddenly asked as he sat on his seat that he had chosen, which was on her left.

No one ever chose to sit next to her.

Ran thought for a while, and then she replied with a smile, "No."

He nodded, trying to swallow down any curiosity.

Soon the class started, and Serina-sensei was about to begin her lecture, and then he heard her whisper:

"I like villains more."

Isamu glanced at her, surprised, "Why?"

"They're mostly misjudged. Some of them are born because they have a tragic past and they probably have suffered more than the hero has. Villains never get love and it makes me happy when they're able to redeem themselves in the end." Ran had a soft look on her face as she stared at the blackboard.

Isamu was instantly fascinated by her; how could she be so mature? He smiled without anyone noticing it and then he glanced over at Kenshin, whom was balancing his pencil under his nose, bored at the lesson already.

The raven-haired kept his smile and started paying attention to the class.

* * *

 **3:33PM**

"Why didn't you fight back?"

Isamu frowned, he had just walked inside his father's car and the first thing he heard was that. School was over, and everyone was going home, Isamu managed to say goodbye to Kenshin and Ran before they parted ways.

"Because it was stupid." He deadpanned as he placed his seatbelt on.

Natsume turned over on his seat and gave his son a mild, stern look, "Good boy. Now, the principal sounded like a creep, is he a creep?"

"I don't like him." His son shrugged his shoulders and looked out of the window.

This time, Natsume Hyuuga smiled. He turned back and turned on the engine, starting to drive off the curb into the road, "Yeah, I didn't like his voice. How was school, son?"

Isamu pondered for a minute before speaking, "I… made two possible friends. One of them was the boy who stood up for me and the other is his best friend." He said as his crimson eyes kept glued onto the window.

"Names?" Natsume asked, feeling slightly hopeful.

"Uh, Kenshin Yukihira and Ran, uh…" he furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, confused and lost, "Oh, I forgot her last name." he mumbled.

"You sound disappointed, it's surprising to see you taking a liking to a girl. Is she cute?" Natsume teased with a smirk.

"Dad… what?" Isamu have his father a weird look, making the man chuckle.

"Never mind son, you'll understand when you're older."

"I am older! I'm a big boy! Auntie Aoi told me so!" he grunted, crossing his arms.

Natsume almost snickered when he saw his son pout through the rear mirror.

"Sure, you are. And what about this Kenshin boy?" he prompted, curious about this kid who'd stood up for his son.

"He seems okay… he started hitting Arata because he hurt Ran, so I guess he's a good friend." Isamu wanted to admit that what Kenshin did had been _really_ cool, but he felt too embarrassed to say it out loud.

Natsume smiled though, knowing his son more than anyone else. The twenty-eight-year-old divorcee only hoped that this was the beginning of a friendship. For the sake of his own son.

After yawning, Isamu opened his mouth to add another thing, "He also thinks he's a stupid-hero—I mean, super-hero." He grinned at his own joke, and Natsume couldn't help to grin as well.

 **A/N: So, I have a few things to say:**

 **This story started in the month of November;  
Isamu is 1 year and four months older than Kenshin and 1 year and one month older than Ran.  
Ran is three months older than Kenshin.**

 **Class:**

 **Akemi Chihiro;  
Arata Yoshiko;  
Ayumi Kotone;  
Chieko Kamiko;  
Daiki Takara;  
Daisuke Shiori;  
Fumiko Izanami;  
Haru Sachiko;  
Hideaki Noriko;  
Isamu Hyuuga;  
Keiko Hitomi;  
Kenshin Yukihira;  
Kazuhiko Moriko;  
Manabu Masami;  
Miho Chiyoko;  
Nana Bunko;  
Ran Sakura;  
Takumi Kiyoko;  
Yumi Ayaka; **

**A/N in 2018: Phew! I'm not deleting that above since it's good information on the age difference between the children! Hope you liked this chapter!**


	3. Coincidence? I think not!

**Saturday, November 22** **nd** **, 2014**

 **Isentan Mall**

Mikan walked inside Pizza Hub with a young boy and girl by her side. The boy, that resembled Mikan, was happily grinning as he basically dragged his mother inside as the young girl, Ran, carried a knowing smile.

Mikan mentally kept on repeating to never make any promises to Kenshin just to make him happy, now instead of being home watching the afternoon movies and resting warmly under a comforter she was at the mall, taking her son and Ran for lunch and a movie.

But if she had known that her son would be in a fight, a month ago she would not have promised this. But kids have long memories and she pinky swore it.

It has been two weeks since the nasty encounter with Arata and her son happened, and Kenshin would speak nonstop about the new students, Isamu Hyuuga, and how he has been starting to become good friends with him and Ran. Her son spared no detail on telling her what they did every day at school: how they played tag and how fast Isamu was (and also how unfair that he wouldn't go after Ran, how Ran managed to trick both boys in hide n' seek (she was a champion), and also, he would talk about Ran's interesting facts.

Kenshin had also been smug about Arata not doing anything to them anymore. That part relieved Mikan the most.

"Mom, can we choose a table?" Kenshin suddenly asked as he looked around.

"Of course." She replied with a smile.

Mikan watched the two walking together and she nodded in approval when her son chose a booth by the middle of the restaurant, he had his mother's taste in table choice.

She walked up to them and placed her purse on top of the table, "So, this one?" she asked, receiving two adorable children nodding at her, proud that they picked a table on their own.

"This one is fine, right Ran-chan?" he sent her a grin.

"Right!" she replied, quite chirpily.

After settling down, Mikan ordered a family sized ham and cheese pie for the children to share, and a plate of carbonara for her. When finished with the order, the three start to conserve about anything that their mind would come up with, but occasionally Mikan would just sit back and observe the two chatting between themselves, she sighed peacefully, missing her own days of being a child and free of any responsibility.

Like taxes.

When the food arrived, the talking seized, and everyone started hungrily eating the delicious Italian food.

Ran however, kept on chewing her lower lip as she stared at her untouched slice.

"We should have invited Isamu…" the girl told her friend.

"Uh? Why? Kenshin asked as he stuffed his mouth with his own slice.

Ran pouted, "He's our friend…"

"But…" the boy gulped down his food, "We planned this before we met him!"

She frowned at him, "You're right, but…"

Mikan sudden chuckle interrupted the two, "Ran-chan, can't you see that Kenshin wanted you just for himself? He wanted to go on a _date_ with only you and him." She teased with a wink.

Kenshin gave his mom an outraged expression as his cheeks darkened quickly, "M-MOM! NO WAY!" he yelled, causing some clients to curiously look at their table.

"Watch your tone, young man." Mikan scolded, half-embarrassed but highly amused.

Her son huffed and settled down, "Ran-chan may be cool, but she still has cooties! Don'tcha Ran-chan?" he asked her.

The brunette gave him one of her rare glares and looked away with a bigger pout.

"Eh? Ran-chan? What's wrong?" Kenshin asked confusedly.

Mikan gave him a fond expression, Kenshin could be so dense sometimes… he was really her son. When she was a child, Mikan was also very naïve about the adult world. If only she didn't remain like that when she met _him_.

The three returning to eating, this time more quietly. As Ran ate while looking distantly and thinking about sea creatures, her amber eyes widened at the sight of a familiar person walking inside the pizzeria.

"Kenshin, look!" she quickly tugged on his shirt and pointed at the entrance.

He looked annoyed about the interrupted meal, but the slice on his mouth fell back into his plate when he saw who it was, "No way!"

Confused, Mikan decided to also look to see what was causing the children to be so riled up.

"It's Isamu!" Kenshin exclaimed, loudly.

That got the attention of the two raven-haired males at the entrance, Mikan cringed. The adult man turned because someone had shouted his son's name and the boy, because he realized who that voice belonged to.

Isamu quickly approached them, dismissing his father, with a glint on his eyes, the adult almost couldn't keep up as his son wandered without his supervision.

"Kenshin?" his crimson eyes then looked at the girl, "Ran?" he also ignored the woman sitting with them. Or maybe he was secretly very happy to see his friends, "What are you two doing here?" Isamu asked as he casually slid his hands inside his pockets, "Are you guys on a date, or something?" he was teasing them, but there was a hint of alarm on his voice.

Unfazed by his teasing, both children pointed at Mikan and Isamu finally noticed her presence.

And he felt warmth. He could momentarily see sparkles floating around this woman. She was perfect, she was beautiful and the light shining above her, from his fantasy vision, made her look like the perfect angel he longed for. And when she sent him a smile, his jaw slightly dropped. He didn't even notice his father approaching.

"Isamu, don't you ever run off like that again. What did I tell you?" Natsume scolded as he looked down at him with a frown.

But he just kept staring at Mikan, making her a little uncomfortable and preoccupied.

"Is he… feeling all right?" Mikan timidly asked to the boy's supposed father.

Natsume blinked at her after she addressed him with such sweet voice. He gazed quickly all over he long, curly hair and soulful, chocolate eyes and he couldn't help to stare at her pink lips.

' _Well, wow.'_

Both adults were stuck, staring at each other as Mikan thought about how handsome he was. And those eyes… she felt nervous in a good way underneath them.

The children watched them, Kenshin looked at Ran for answers but she simply shrugged.

"Are you married?" Isamu suddenly asked.

The staring was shattered as the question remained in the air, Natsume gave his son a shocked expression for his rude question while Mikan blushed a little.

"Isamu! What kind of manners are those?!" he scolded him before turning to Mikan, "You don't need to answer that."

However, Mikan smiled, "It's fine! No, I'm not married, Isamu-kun."

The boy gave her a short, sweet smile, "Then, you're perfect."

"OI! What do you mean with that?! Leave my mommy alone!" Kenshin rose from his seat and slammed his hands on the table as he yelled at Isamu.

Isamu cringed at him, shocked, "She's your mom?!" he watched as the brunette nodded, "Then… why are you ugly?" he asked, confusedly.

Ran sighed, "Here we go again…"

Natsume started rubbing his temples, he had no idea what the hell was going on with his son's attitude nowadays. Is this what happened when children are sent to public schools?

Then it hit him, "Wait… Isamu, are these kids your friends?" he asked quickly.

His son sighed, "Yeah dad, they are."

"What's with the tone?! We can end that now!" Kenshin yelled again, and Mikan only had time to hush him quietly as she avoided the looks everyone around was giving them.

* * *

 **A/N: This was a short chapter! I couldn't fit in more!**


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